Expert: Bennie719 - 9/6/2008

Question
My son is at college, more than 150 miles away. AIG/21st century is indicating we need to sign an Driver Exclusion (which I do understand to mean it relieves the insurance company of any obligation involving my son) - They also offer a REMOVE driver which I don't understand what that means. Lastly they offer 30 day 4x per year a Waiver of Exclusion which appears to allow a temporary revocation of the Exclusion (and obiligate the insurance company) for upto 4x per year for 30 days...what I cannot figure out is if I have to fill in paperwork each time my son comes home? And Also what insurance companies deal with college students equitably....although I respece th omaha oracle Buffet, I'm most concerned with the AIG buyout of 21st century and find their current website abbysmily vague and absolutely unhelpful except to force people to click on buttons to make chages that are not fully explained. Thanks for you help.

Answer
Hi Philip,
Since I am a licensed Broker in California, that means that the majority of my knowledge is regarding companies doing buisines in this state.
But, since I have written policies for thousands of new clients cince 1964 that were moving into California, I have seen and read policies from most other states.

AIG has never written auto insurance under their own name in California, but since the purchase of 21st Century,they are writing coverage for californians there.

An EXCLUSION and a REMOVAL from the policy are almost the same thing.
In each case, it means that your son would not be covered while driving or riding in your car or anyone elses.
An excluded person can only be added back to the policy with the permission.  A removed person can usually be added back at at any time, depending on driving record.

This ability to add an excluded driver back to the policy 4 times per yer for up to 30 days sounds ridicilous.  What if your son is going to be home for the entire summer?

The most standard method of handeling coverage for children away at college over 150 miles away (with the majority of companies), is that they are left on the policy as drivers, AT NO CHARGE.
This way, they are covered if they should drive or ride in a friends car at school, and covered for free when they come home for holidays and semester breaks.

If they are going to be home for the summer, the company requests
(DEMANDS) that they be added as drivers vefore driving the car and left on the police until the day after they have left to return to school.

I suggest that you consider dealing with a company where you will have your own agent to help you make decisions and explain changes.
State Farm, Allstate, Farmers, Hartford and Travelers, to name a few, fall in this category.

I hope this information is helpful.
Your feedback by rating my answer will be appreciated.

Sincerely,
Bennie
San Francisco Bay Area